£10m for projects to make schools greener and connect children with nature

Projects to make school grounds greener and help disadvantaged children get better access to nature are receiving £10 million, the Government has said.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has launched a “year of green action” to encourage more people, including youngsters, to get involved in projects which help the natural world.

He has also allocated £10 million in grants to make school grounds greener, and increase the number of school visits to parks, wildlife sites, “care farms” that use farm activities to help disadvantaged people, and national parks.

The launch, at London Zoo, comes as figures show one in 10 children do not regularly spend time outdoors, and the funding aims to deliver on the promise in the 25 Year Environment Plan to connect young people with nature.

Launching the year of green action, Mr Gove said: “Over the next 12 months, we will work with businesses and communities to create ways for people from all backgrounds to connect with nature, protect our environment, and contribute to restoring our natural world.

“As the future stewards of our planet, children and young people have a vital role to play in this.

“The £10 million boost outlined today will help ensure there are no barriers for young people to access the benefits of the natural world and importantly enable them to play their part in environmental protection.”

The Government-backed #iwill4nature initiative, a nationwide campaign to increase environmental youth social action and support activities for young people to connect with, protect and enhance nature, is also being launched.

The initiative, by charity Step Up To Serve, will include appointing young ambassadors to drive action in their communities, and encourage environmental volunteering such as litter picking and planting pollinator-friendly plants.

Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “We want every child to have the best possible start in life and grow up healthy and happy.

“This £10 million investment will ensure even more children can enjoy the many benefits of discovering nature, from improved mental wellbeing to better physical health.

“It builds on our recently published ‘passport’ of enrichment activities, designed to inspire children to explore the outdoors and make the most of the world around them.”